Translation of the Chofetz Chaim's Sefer Shmiras HaLashon. This site is dedicated to the improvement of the speech of members of Bnei Yisrael. To help avoid all sorts of troubles, learn Shmiras HaLashon - "One who guards his mouth and his tongue guards from troubles of his soul." (Mishlei: 21; 23)

Monday, January 28, 2008

Shmiras HaLashon ה אדר - Adar 5 - One-Hundred-and-Fifty-Fourth Day

In [this Chapter, we] shall Explain [Of] the Reward for [The] Study of The Torah

Our Rabbis, of Blessed Memory, have said in “Perek Chelek” [in maseches “Sanhedrin” (99b), as follows]: “All of those who involve themselves in Torah [study] for for the sake of studying Torah, engender peace in The Heavenly Retinue and in The Earthly Retinue, as it says [in sefer “Yishayahu”], “If they would grasp onto My stronghold, they will make peace for Me, peace they shall make for Me.”[1] (Yishayahu: 27; 5) Rav said, ‘It is [considered] as if [the one who learned Torah for the sake of learning], built The Heavenly Palace and the earthly palace, as it says, “And I shall place My words in your mouth… to plant the Heavens and to set the foundation for the Earth…” (Yishayahu: 51; 16)”[2]

[Chofetz Chaim’s note: According to the words of Rav, the [following] pasuk [from “Tehillim”] will be [thoroughly] explained: “And to You, HaShem, is kindness, for You pay the person in accordance with his actions.” (Tehillim: 62; 13) Many [people] will be surprised [concerning the above pasuk]: What kindness is it when The Holy One, Blessed is He, [rewards one with that which is] good due to his observance of [HaShem’s] mitzvos? However, according to [the following, this reality] can be understood. For it is known, that if one will succeed with his wisdom in the invention of a new machine with which the builders [can use to] build a city in one day [and] if this matter [of his wondrous invention] will be brought before the king, this [inventor] will definitely find favor in his eyes, [and the king will then] give [this inventor] a great gift in accordance with the wherewithal of the king. However, it is impossible that [the king] will give [the inventor] those cities which his servants built with this machine and that [these cities] will be called by his name as if [the inventor] himself built [those cities].

[The above analogy] is similarly [applicable to our] case [concerning Torah study]: Through the words of Torah that one studies in this world, the Creation of Heaven and Earth continue in existence, as we have written earlier, in chapter one [of “Sha’ar HaTorah”]. In reality, does the person really build these palaces so that they will be called by his name? Isn’t it The Holy One, Blessed is He, Who with His power and His strength renews the act of Creation every day with His goodness, and it is He Himself Who is The One Who gives power to the words of Torah that [the person] has studied, [so] that they will be as a root for this matter [of Creation]. Notwithstanding [that it is HaShem Who has embedded the power to sustain Creation within the words of Torah that one studies], in His kindness, The Holy One, Blessed is He, considers it as if [it is the person who studies Torah] himself [who has] built The Palaces of Heaven and of Earth. [The aforementioned] is the intended [teaching] of Rav, [when he states], “as if he built…” [The] explanation [of the above being] that The Holy One, Blessed is He, considers it as if the person himself planted Heaven and Earth, as Rav [taught]. In addition, it is also possible to further explain the previously quoted pasuk [when looking at] the [seemingly] extraneous word “You”, based on that which the GR”A wrote in “Mishlei” on the pasuk, “The fear of the evildoers shall befall him, and [HaShem] will provide the desire of the righteous.”[3] (Mishlei: 10; 24) [This pasuk comes to teach us] that it is the sin itself which a person performs that subsequently [comes to] punish the person. Therefore, just as there is a limit to the sin there is a limit to the punishment. However, as a result of the mitzvah [that one performs], The Holy One, Blessed is He, Himself and in His Glory, rewards the person. [As this is the case], the reward is therefore for a world without limit , just as The Holy One, Blessed is He, Himself is without limit[4]. [The above] is the intended [teaching] of the [following] pasuk: “And to You HaShem, is kindness…” (Tehillim: 62; 13), “…for You…”, meaning [it is] You Yourself [Who] bestows the reward to the person [in compensation for] his performance of mitzvos, in order that there will not be a limit to [the] reward [that he will receive].]

[1] Targum Onkelos on this pasuk explains that this pasuk is teaching us that, “If you will strengthen yourselves with words of Torah, peace shall be made for them from now on, peace shall be made for them”.

RaSh”I explains that if The B’nei Yisrael are determined to not hold onto any stronghold except The Stronghold of HaShem, then HaShem shall have peace from The Attribute of Justice which would otherwise prosecute against The Jewish People, saying “why are these different than these”, in that some people are punished, but not these people. Therefore, peace for HaShem also relates to peace for The B’nei Yisrael, which comes about as result of involvement in the study of The Torah for the sake of learning Torah.

According to the Chofetz Chaim, the statement “…they shall make peace for Me, peace they shall make for Me.”, refers to the peace benefited by 1) The Heavenly Retinue and 2) The Earthly Retinue, therefore the double-mention of peace being made for HaShem.

The text of this pasuk, in its double-mention of “peace”, resembles the conclusion of Shemoneh Esrei, where we say “He Who makes peace in Lofty Places, He shall make peace upon us, and upon all [of The People of] Israel.

[2] The text of the gemara states as follows:

“Rabbi Alacsandri said, ‘All of those who are involved in [the study of The Torah] for the sake of learning Torah, instill peace in The Heavenly Retinue and in The Earthly Retinue, as it says [in sefer “Yishayahu”], “If only they would grasp My stronghold, they would make peace for Me, peace they would make for Me.” (27; 5)’ Rav said, ‘It is considered as if [the person who learned Torah for the sake of learning Torah], built the Heavenly and Earthly palaces, as it says, “And I shall place My Words in your mouth, and shall cover over you with The Shade of My Hand, to plant The Heaven and to set the foundation of The Earth…” (Yishayahu: 51; 16)’ Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘[One who learns Torah for the sake of studying Torah] even protects over the entire world, as it says, “…and I shall cover over you with The Shade of My Hand…”’ Levi said, ‘[One who studies Torah for the sake of studying The Torah] even brings The Redemption closer, as it says, “…and say to Tzion, ‘You are My Nation’.” (Yishayahu: 51; 16)’”

[3] RaSh”I explains that that which the evildoer fears shall befall them, as was the case with the Dor HaPalagah (Generation of Dispersion) who feared being dispersed throughout the world. They therefore built a city with a really high tower in a sinful manner, in opposition to HaShem. The people in that generation said, “…lest we will be dispersed…” (B’reishis: 11; 4) and then “HaShem caused them to be dispersed…” (11; 8) RaSh”I explains that it is HaShem who rewards the righteous for their good actions.

[4] The person receives their full reward in “a world without limit” – The World to Come.